COMPARISON OF GROUND RAW SOYBEAN AND SOYBEAN MEAL DIETS ON CARCASS TRAITS OF GILTS

ABSTRACT

As part of an ongoing reproductive efficiency study with gilts fed a raw soybean (RSB) diet, an assessment of carcass traits was performed to measure the effect of antinutritional factors present in RSB. Yorkshire × Landrace crossbred gilts (n = 20) were assigned to balanced isonitrogenous (crude protein 14%), isocaloric diets using either soybean meal (SBM, n = 10) or ground RSB (n = 10) as the protein supplement. Gilts were fed to day 35–45 of gestation and then harvested for recovery of the reproductive tract and carcass assessment. Carcass trait values included: a decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in hot carcass weight of RSB gilts, but no differences in carcass length, back fat thickness (cm) at 1st rib, 10th rib, last rib, last lumbar and average back fat. Loin area cm², % fat free lean, muscle score and United States Department of Agriculture grade scores did not differ (P > 0.05). Thus, supplementing diets of prepubertal gilts through to early gestation with ground RSB had no observed adverse effects on carcass quality traits.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Raw soybeans (RSB) are not commonly used in swine diets due to known presence of antinutritional factors that may retard growth in young swine and may also affect carcass quality. However, the effect of using RSB on carcass quality in older swine has yet to be examined. The data from this study show that supplementation of swine diets with RSB can be used in gilts 155 days of age and older without affecting carcass quality.